Medical Illustration in the UK: its current and potential role in medical education

Abstract

This paper describes how medical illustration has evolved to become increasingly important in undergraduate medical education, postgraduate medical education and continuing medical education, as new technologies have become available and new teaching methods have developed based on the emerging technologies. It also examines how the role of the medical illustrator has changed. The descriptor 'medical illustration' fails to reflect the changing face of the profession and it is suggested that a new title is required to convey better the evolving role of the profession.